Which 2-in-1 laptop is best for your SMB?

Is it upgrade time already? If you’re looking for the best business laptop for your SMB, there are plenty of good reasons to consider a 2-in-1 model in 2017.

These hybrid tablet/laptops truly offer the best of both worlds, with no compromise involved. Find out why they’re the fastest-growing category in laptops and which models are the best fit for your business with our 2-in-1 buyers guide.

Why should I choose a 2-in-1 laptop?

The most obvious benefit of combining a laptop with a tablet is that you don’t need to buy both. Not to mention only having to bring one device to and from the office and freeing up your power sockets.

The hybrid approach has other advantages too, depending on what you need your business laptop to do.

PC performance

If you’ve dreamed of owning a tablet that’s fast enough to handle your workload, 2-in-1 laptops offer the high performance and full operating system of a laptop in slim tablet packaging. There’s nothing a standard laptop can do better than a range-topping 2-in-1.

You’ll also benefit from a true ergonomic keyboard (detachable or reversible) and have a full set of I/O ports to play with.

Tablet convenience

2-in-1 tablets will generally be a little heftier than your iPad, but they’re a lot lighter than standard laptops if you’re commuting.

If portability is a factor, there are some very light options on the market. For example, models with detachable keyboards are a sure way to lighten your load.

With a work tablet, you won’t have to keep switching your brain between touchscreen mode and traditional mode, or wish you could quickly swipe rather than having to reach for the mouse every time. Touchscreens aren’t exclusive to tablets, of course. But if you’ve used a touchscreen laptop before, you’ll know it doesn’t feel quite right. 2-in-1 laptops offer the true tablet experience.

And let’s not forget one of the greatest advantages tablets have over their laptop counterparts: most 2-in-1s have long-lasting batteries.

How much should I spend?

Cheap 2-in-1 laptops like Chromebooks can be bought for as little as US$300. But like any tech investment, you get what you pay for.

For most business needs, you’ll more likely be looking above US$600 for a good all-rounder, or over US$1000 for premium performance and a 1TB hard drive.

If you’re considering a higher end model, you won’t be paying much more for a 2-in-1 laptop than you would for an equivalent standard laptop.